Combination safe

ABSTRACT

A safe for use by a large number of successive users. The safe includes a coding wheel type combination lock and a key lock for operating the clutch mechanism and changing the combination. The key lock mechanism is of the type which prevents the removal of the key excepting in one position. Means are included for requiring the coding wheels to be in predetermined positions in order for the key lock to be operated to the position in which the key can be removed. Emergency access means for opening the safe are also provided in the form of a member which unlocks the combination lock manually, that member being accessible by drilling through a thinned portion of the mounting plate for the combination lock. Means may also be included for warning the user when he leaves the safe with the combination displayed. In an alternative embodiment, the coding wheels are provided with two sets of indicia, one viewable from the front of the safe door and one viewable from the rear.

United States Patent [1 1 Waxgiser et a1.

[ 1 Mar. 18, 1975 1 1 COMBINATION SAFE [76] Inventors: Martin A. Waxgiser, 125-10 Queens Blvd., Kew Gardens, NY. 11415; Leonard Foreman, 2407 Joel Dr., North Bellmore, N.Y. 11710 [22] Filed: Feb. 5, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 439,960

Primary Examiner-Albert G. Craig, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Hubbell, Cohen & Stiefel [57] ABSTRACT A safe for use by a large number of successive users. The safe includes a coding wheel type combination lock and a key lock for operating the clutch mechanism and changing the combination. The key lock mechanism is of the type which prevents the removal of the key excepting in one position. Means are included for requiring the coding wheels to be in predetermined positions in order for the key lock to be operated to the position in which the key can be removed. Emergency access means for opening the safe are also provided in the form of a member which unlocks the combination lock manually, that member being accessible by drilling through a thinned portion of the mounting plate for the combination lock. Means may also be included for warning the user when he leaves the safe with the combination displayed. In an alternative embodiment, the coding wheels are provided with two sets of indicia, one viewable from the front of the safe door and one viewable from the rear.

33 Claims, 21 Drawing Figures PATENTEDHARI 1 5 315371197 sum 1 95 FIG. I.

PATENTEB MAR] 8 I975 SHEET 3 BF 6 COMBINATION SAFE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to safes having easily changeable combinationsfMore particularly, this invention relates to a safe having secure means for readily changing the combination so that it may be employed in a hotel room where there may be a series of successive users each of whom wishes to employ his own combination on the safe.

2. The Prior Art Safes or security containers having combination locks with a readily changeable combination feature included therein have previously been suggested in US. Pat. No. 3,347,069 granted to R. M. I-Iollingshead, Jr. on Oct. 17, 1967. Combination locks having means for permitting the easy changing of a combination have been known and used for many years. One example of such a lock is the well known lock manufactured by The Corbin Lock Company and marketed under the trademark SESAME.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a safe including a coding wheel type combination lock mounted behind a relatively impenatrable plate having apertures for viewing indicia on the coding wheels and for gaining finger access thereto. To effect a change in combination a key lock mechanism is also included, which key lock mechanism is of the type that permits the insertion and with drawal of the key in only one position. The key lock must be operated away from that position to effect a change in combination. The key lock can only be operated to the key removing position when the coding wheels are in a predetermined position such as 0-0-0-0-0. Thus, when a user'is to give up access to the safe, he must change the combination of the lock to the 0-0-0-0-0 combination in order to enable him to operate the key lock to the key removing and inserting position so as to remove the key.

In the event that the user abandons the safe in a locked position, the mounting plate is provided with a concealed thinned portion which can be drilled through readily, such concealed portion being at predetermined random location, different on each safe. Behind the plate is a member which is in register with the thinned portion of the plate and which can be operated by an elongated member inserted through the drilled hole to operate the combination lock without turning the coding wheels in order to unlock the latched mechanism. This will give access to the safe.

In one alternative embodiment of the invention, the coding wheels are provided with two sets of indicia, one 180 out of phase with the other and upside down with respect thereto, one set being viewable from the front of the safe and the other set being viewable from the back of the door.

In another alternative embodiment, electrical circuit means are included for detecting when the safe is left with the inserted combination being displayed. Upon such detection, an alarm will be sounded or displayed to alert the user to the fact.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a wall safe embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the wall safe with the door open;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the door with the back panel broken away to show parts of the mechanism thereunder;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but'showing the combination change control lock in a position permitting the change of combination;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIGS. 3 and 4, but showing the door closed and locked and the combination change control lock in a change forbidden condition;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary rear view of the back of the door with a portion of the rear plate broken away to render visible the combination lock mechanism therebehind;

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view through the combination lock of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of portions of the lock of FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrating the combination changing mechanism of said lock;

FIG. 10' is a sectional view taken along the line 10-10 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 10, but showing the lock in a manual override condition;

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing a modification thereof;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 10 and incorporating the modification of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a coding wheel for use in the modification of FIGS. 12 and 13;

FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIG. 8, but showing the lock clutched and illustrating another modification;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the safe handle as employed herein;

FIG. 17 is a circuit diagram employable in the modification of FIG. 15;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the present invention modified to be incorporated in a cabinet;

FIG. 19 is a sectional view taken along the line 19-19 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of yet another form of the present invention; andv FIG. 21 is a rear elevational view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 20 with portions broken away for purposes of illustration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings in detail and particularly to FIGS. 1 through 11 thereof, the present invention is illustrated in the form of a wall safe. It will be understood that the same embodiment could be incorporated in a cabinet without significant modification.

The safe is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 and includes a boxlike structure 12 embedded in the wall 14, the boxlike structure preferably being made of a relatively impenetrable material such as steel plates or the like. Surrounding the outer edge of the boxlike structure 12 is a door frame 16 that is also made of a relatively impenetrable material such as steel plate or the like, the door frame providing a seat for the door 18. The door frame 16 defines a safe opening 20 and includes two side panels 22, at least one of which has a slot or opening 24 for receiving a slide bolt 26. As will become apparent, the opening 24 and the slide bolt 26 between them form a door latch. Preferably both sides 22 include openings 24 and there are two slide bolts 26 carried by the door 18, which slide bolts are movable by means to be described hereinafter to and from withdrawn positions wherein they are clear of the door frame 16 and from and through an extended position wherein they fit into the slots 24 for latching the door in a closed position overlying the door opening 20. The slide bolts 26 are slidably mounted on the door by any suitable means defining a slide channel therefore. For example, and as viewed in FIG. 3, the lefthand door bolt 26 is slidably mounted in a channel member 28 that is fixed to the front panel 30 of the door 18. The right-hand slide bolt 26 as viewed in FIG. 3 is slidably mounted by a portion of the lock 32, although any suitable means for slidably mounting the right-hand bolt may be employed.

To extend and retract the bolts 26, a suitable rack and pinion mechanism 34 is employed. Specifically, fixed to the inner ends of the bolts 26 are a pair of opposed racks 36 both of which are in meshed relation with a central pinion 38 that is mounted on a shaft 40 that extends through the front plate 30 of the door 18 and carries the safe handle 42 (see FIG. 16). When the safe handle is rotated from its closed or solid line position as viewed in FIG. 1 to its open or dotted line position as viewed in FIG. 1, the pinion 38 rotates in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3, whereby to retract the bolts 26. Obviously, when the handle is moved from the open to the closed position, the pinion 38 rotates in a clockwise direction whereby to extend the bolts 26.

The door 18 is mounted on the right side 22 of the door frame 16 as by hinges 43 for movement to and from the open position shown in FIG. 2 which permits access to the safe, interior 12, and from and to the closed position as shown in FIG. 1 wherein the bolts 26 are in register with the openings 24 in the side walls 22 of the door frame 16. In this closed position, when the handle 42 is rotated from the open to the closed position, the bolts will be extended and slide into the openings 24 whereby to latch the door in the closed position. As will be described hereinafter, means are provided to selectively prevent and permit the movement of the bolts whereby to lock the door in the closed and latched position and to unlock the door to permit the opening thereof.

The primary means for preventing the movement of the slide bolts 26 from their extended to their retracted positions is the combination lock 32.

As previously mentioned, the lock 32 is of the type having a plurality of side-by-side indicia bearing coding wheels which, when moved to predetermined positions, open the lock to permit the operation of the lock handle 42. The lock 32 is shown in detail in FIGS. 7 through 11. The lock 32 is supported between the front door plate 30 and the rear door plate 44 by a boxlike support frame 46 including a pair of side members 48 and 50 and a bottom support member 51. The support structure is secured to the front wall 30 by any suitable means such as machine screws, welding or the like. Extending across the support frame between the sides 48 and 50 is a shaft 52, which shaft is slidably mounted in apertures 54 and 56 in the side members 48 and 50. At one end of the shaft 52 there is an abutment, here shown in the form of a head 58, and a compression spring 59 is disposed between the side 50 and the head 58 to bias the shaft to its normal or right hand position which is shown by dotted lines in FIG. 8.

Rotatably mounted on the shaft 52 are a plurality of collars, here shown as five in number, all designated by the reference character 60. Each of the collars has a cam 62 that is essentially round but is provided with a flattened portion 64. Also on the collars 60 are a pair of opposed projections 66 for reasons which will become apparent hereinafter.

Rotatably mounted about each of the collars 60 is an indicia bearing coding wheel or disc 68 each of which has any suitable indicia thereon, such as, for example, the numerals 0 through 9. The coding wheels 68 are provided with notches or indentations 70, there being the same number of notches as there are separate indicia on the wheels. To permitthe mounting of each of the wheels 68 on the collars 60, there is naturally a central aperture in each wheel, which aperture is designated by the reference numeral 72 (see FIG. 10). The aperture 72 is not round, but instead, is provided with a plurality of notches 74, of equal number to the number of indicia on the coding wheel. The notches are of sufficient radial extent to receive the projections 66 therewithin, whereby to lock the coding wheels to their respective collars when interengaged. The unnotched portions of the periphery of the aperture 72 define a circle that is slightly greater than the diameter of the circle of the collar 60, whereby to permit relative rotation between the coding wheels and the collar when the projections 66 are out of engagement with the notches 74. Associated with each of the coding wheels 68 is a detent 75 having an aperture 76 adjacent the bottom thereof, which aperture receives a threaded screw 77 therethrough with clearance, said threaded screw being threadedly mounted on the cross piece 51 of the frame for the combination lock. Surrounding each of the screws 77 is a compression spring 80 which biases the detent in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 10, whereby to bias it it into engagement with the periphery of the coding wheel 68. The detent 75 has a small protrusion 82 at its upper end which is complementary to the notches 70 to fit therewithin whereby to index the wheel in various positions defined by the detend and notches.

Pivotally mounted on the sides 48 and 50 of the boxlike support frame for the lock 32 is a platelike cam follower 84. The pivotal mounting may be effected by any suitable means such as a pivot pin 86 extending between the sides of the frame. Cam follower plate 84 is provided with a plurality of rectangular cut-outs 88, one for each of the coding wheels 68, which cut-outs are larger than the projected area of the coding wheels and permit reception thereof within said cut-outs. The portions of the cam follower plate 84 on both sides of the coding wheels 68, which portions are narrow rectangular extending members 90, are in register with the cams 62 on the collars 60. By suitable biasing means, such as vertically extending cantilever spring 91, the cam follower plate 84 is biased in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 10 to bring the members 90 into engagement with the periphery of the cams 62. Since all of the members 90 are parts of unitary cam follower plate 84, and thus move in unison, it will be obvious that cam follower plate 84 will be held in its left-hand position as shown in FIG. 10 unless and until all of the flats 64 on all of the cams 62 move into engagement with their respective members 90, whereby to permit the pivotal movement of the cam follower plate 84 in a clockwise direction as driven by spring 91 to assume a substantially vertical position (dotted position in FIG.

The cam follower plate 84 also constitutes the locking abutment which prevents the opening of the door when the lock is in its latched condition. This is accomplished by securing to the bolt 26 on the right side of FIG. 3 a pin 92, as by means of welding to an end plate 94 (see FIG. 7) which is fixed to the left-hand end of the right slide bolt 26. The pin 92 is in register with an aperture 98 in the wall 48 of the combination lock housing or support frame and is movable with the bolt 26 to and from the retracted and extended positions, shown respectively in FIGS. 4 and 5. When, however, the cam follower plate 84 is in engagement wth a nonflat portion of any one of the cams 62, the cam follower plate 84 is pivoted into register with the pin 92, whereby to prevent the leftward movement of the pin (as viewed in FIG. 7) and thus preventing the retraction of the bolt 26. Since the bolt cannot be retracted, the door is locked in a latched condition. Thus, the only way the door can be unlatched is to bring all of the flat portions 64 of the cams 62 into engagement with the members 90 to thereby permit the cross wise movement of the cam follower plate 84 under the urging of the spring 91 to a vertical position wherein cam follower plate 84 is out of register with the pin 92 to permit the pin 92 to move into its retracted position upon the operation of the handle 42 of the safe.

As is well known to those familar with the coding wheel type combination locks, a plurality of slots or apertures 96, one for each coding wheel 68, are provided in the front plate 30 of the door 18 to receive the front portions of each of the coding wheels. This permits the indicia on the coding wheels to be viewed and also permits finger access to the coding wheels to rotate them. The detent 75 and the notches 70 cooperate to bring one of the indicia at a time into direct viewing relation through each aperture 96, whereby to cause the array of coding wheels to present to a viewer a single multidigit number, here shown by way of example as a five digit number. When the five digit number making up the proper combination is presented to the viewer, the flats 64 on the cams 62 of all of the five collars 60 are in engagement with the cam follower plate 84, whereby to permit the cam plate to pivot and to unlock the door latch.

As is customary with combination locks of this type, any combination of numbers can be put into the lock to function as the proper combination for effecting an unlock. To select a combination, the shaft 52 must be pushed to its solid line position from its dotted line position as shown in FIG. 8, whereby to move all of the collars to the left to thereby disengage or declutch the protrusions 66 from the notches 74 on the inner surfaces of the coding wheels and thereby free the coding wheels for rotation relative to the collars 60. For reasons which will become apparent hereinafter, this change of combination or setting of combination can only be effected when the cam follower plate 82 is in its unlocked position, that is, when all of the flats 64 on all of the cams 62 are in engagement with the cam plate. When this condition prevails, and the coding wheels 68 are declutched from the collars and are free to rotate relative to the collars 60, they may be rotated and there is no fear of the cams 62 being turned, the pressure of the cam plate 84 on the flats 64 of the cams 62 being sufficient to hold the cams in a fixed position while the coding wheels 68 are being turned. After an appropriate combination of numbers has been brought into view through the apertures 96, the shaft 52 can be permitted to move to the right under the urging of spring 59, whereby to permit the protrusions 66 to reengage with the notches 74 and lock the collars against further rotation relative to the coding wheels 68. Thus, for example, if the number l-2-3-4-5 is selected, once the protrusions are reengaged with the coding wheels in a manner to be described hereinafter, the coding wheels can be rotated provided the door is closed and latch to move pin 92 outof overlying relation with cam follower plate 84, whereby to move the flats out of engagement with members 90 to thereby shift the cam follower plate 84 to the left as viewed in FIG. 10 to thereby prevent the opening of the lock. However, when it is desired to unlock the lock, the coding wheels 68 are rotated to redisplay the number 1-2-3-4-5 through the apertures 96, whereby to bring all of the cam flats back into engagement with their associated member 90 to permit rightward or clockwise movement of that cam follower plate 84. This will permit the cam follower plate to move out of register with the pin 92 and thereby free the pin for reciprocal movement in response to operation of the handle 42.

The means for operating the clutch mechanism by shifting the shaft 52 to the left as viewed in FIG. 8 or to the right as viewed in FIG. 3, whereby to disengage the projections 66 from the notches 74 of an inner surface of the coding wheels 68 is a gear that is rotatably mounted on a stud 102 fixed to the front plate 30. Extending outwardly from the periphery of the gear 100 is a cam portion 104. When the cam portion 104 is brought into engagement with the head 58 of the shaft 52, it will move that shaft from its extended position to its retracted position, whereby to free the coding wheels for the insertion of a selected code. When the cam portion 104 is out of engagement with the head 58, the spring 59 will restore the shaft 52 to its extended position to lock the coding wheels against rotation relative to the collars 60. The means for rotating the gear 100 is a second gear 106 in meshed relation with the ,gear 100. The gear 106 is also rotatably mounted on a stud that is fixed to the front wall 30 of the door 18, which stud is not shown. Mounted on the rear plate 44 of the door 18 is a conventional key operated cylinder lock 108 for rotating the operating piece thereof which is co-axial with and secured to the gear 106. Thus, when a key is inserted in a key hole 110 of the lock 108 and the key is turned, gear 106 will turn and impart rotary motion to gear 100 which will cause the cam portion 104 to move into and out of engagement with the head 58 of the shaft 52 to move that shaft as previously described. Preferably, for reasons which will become apparent hereinafter, the lock 108 is of the type which permits insertion and withdrawal of the key only when the key hole is in one position, here shown to be the vertical position and designated by the reference character A. The lock is arranged to permit sufficient rotation of the key therein so that it may be moved to an intermediate position B in which the cam portion 104 engages the head 58 to shift the shaft 52 to its retracted position and beyond that intermediate position to a second extreme position, here designated by the position C, wherein the cam portion has moved past the head 58 and again out of engagement therewith.

Thus, as shown in FIG. 2, only with the door 18 unlocked and opened, the key may be placed in the key hole 110 to rotate the key to the intermediate or B position, whereby to move the cam portion 104 into engagement with the head 58 to disengage the protrusions 66 from the coding wheels 68 to permit the insertion of a desired combination as has been described hereinbefore. If the key is thereafter turned to the second extreme position C, the cam portion 104 will move beyond and out of engagement with the head 58 to reengage the protrusions 66 with the coding wheels 68. Thereafter, if the door is closed and the handle is operated to extend the bolts 26 into the cavities 24 and the coding wheels are then turned away from the selected combination, the lock is locked. That is, the handle 42 cannot be moved from the closed or horizontal position to the open or somewhat vertical position because the cam follower plate 84 is pivoted into register with the pin 92 to block movement of the pin. Since the pin 92 is operatively fixed to the bolts 26, if the pin cannot move, the bolts cannot move and the handle cannot move and the safe is locked. It is only when the selected combination is presented through the apertures 96 that the safe may be reopened.

For reasons which will become apparent hereinafter, a rack 112 is slidably mounted beneath the gear 100 and in meshed relation therewith, said rack having an upstanding member 114 fixed thereto. Extending horizontally outward from the member 114 is a long indexing pin 116 which moves with the rack to and from a retracted position as shown in FIGS. 4 and and from and to an extended position as shown in FIG. 3. The pin 116 is in register with the coding wheels 68 and with the side member 50 of the support frame. Thus, in order to permit movement of the rack 112 to the right, each of the coding wheels 68 must be provided with an aperture 118 proportioned to permit the pin 116 to pass therethrough with clearance. A similar aperture must be provided in the side member 50. The apertures 118 are located on the coding wheels 68 so that when the coding wheels collectively display through the apertures 96 a preselected number, for instance, 0-0-0-0-0, the apertures 118 are all in register with the pin 116 to thereby permit the pin 116 to move to the right as viewed in FIG. 3 through the aligned apertures 118. This will lock the coding wheels against any rotation. The rack 112 is positioned relative to the gear 100 so that the rack is in its extreme righthand position when the key is in the vertical or A position. Thus, it will be obvious that the key cannot be moved to the A position in which the key may be withdrawn from the key lock unless the coding wheels are turned to the preselected number, for example, 0-0-0-0-0. However, in order to gain access to the key lock 108 and its associated key to operate the lock in order to remove the key, the safe door must be opened and therefore the bolts 26 must be retracted. When the bolts 26 are retracted, the pin 92 is also retracted and it overlies the cam follower plate 84 which is now of necessity in its vertical position and out of register with the pin 92. This being the case, it will be seen that normally, assuming the combination to open the lock is different from the preselected number, i.e., 0-0-0-0-0, which permits the pin 116 to move to its extended position-upon the operation of the key to the A position wherein the key can be withdrawn, the user of the safe cannot withdraw the key until he has moved the coding wheels to collectively display the preselected numbers, 0-0-0-0-0. Of course, if the user happens to select in his combination the preselected number, 0-0-0-0-0, then he will not be required to operate the coding wheels after unlocking and opening the door in order to turn the lock to the A position.

While one way to do this would be to operate the handle 42 away from the open position (to thereby remove pin 92 from overlying relation with cam follower plate 84) which it is in in order to have opened the door, this would be undesirable occurrence and means are provided to prevent it. Specifically, as best shown in FIG. 3, the left-hand bolt 26 is provided with a notch 120 in its bottom surface, which notch is registrable with a vertically extending slidably mounted finger 122 that is biased toward the bolt 26 by a compression spring 124 in engagement with the bottom of the finger. Thus, when the lock handle 42 is operated from the closed to the open position to open the lock, the finger will move into the now registered notch 120 to lock the bolt 26 against reciprocal movement whereby to prevent the reoperation of the handle 42 to the closed position with the door opened. However, when the door is closed, the tapered bottom 126 (FIG. 6) of a bell crank operating member 128 which extends out through the bottom 126 of door 18 will be forced upwardly. Bell crank 128 is pivoted on a pin 129 extending outwardly from plate 30. Thus, when tapered bottom 126 moves upwardly upon closing the door 18, bell crank 128 will pivot counterclockwise as viewed in FiG. 3, whereby to depress the finger 122 and withdraw it from the slot 120 (see FIG. 5). Thus, only in theclosed position of the door, the safe handle 42 can be operated to the locked position. In the open position of the door, this cannot occur.

This being the case, the only way to return the key from the second extreme position C to the first extreme or normal position A, in order to withdraw the key from the lock, is to first operate the key from the C position to the B position, whereby to bring the cam por-. tion 104 into engagement with the head 58 of shaft 52 to shift the shaft and thereby free the coding wheels for rotation relative to the cams. Now the coding wheels can be rotated to collectively display the preselected number, i.e., 0-0-0-0-0, which rotation will not cause any pivotal movement of the cam follower plate 84 since the rotation will not cause rotation of the cams 62, which is further prevented by pin 92 overlying platev 84. When the coding wheels have been moved to the preselected or 0-0-0-0-0 position, the key may be rotated to the A position, whereby to cause the pin 116 to move through the now registered apertures 118 to the right to thereby lock the coding wheels 68 against further rotation. In this condition, the shaft 52 is again permitted to move to its extended position and the key to move back to its unlocked position A where the key may be withdrawn. In this condition, the safe may be closed and the handle moved to the latch position without fear of not gaining access in the future since the coding wheels cannot be rotated out of the 0-0-0-0-0 position (which is now the combination) due to the pin 116 extending therethrough.

This being the case, whenever a hotel userdesires to use the safe in his room, the safe being of the type designated by the reference numeral 10', he must first gain access to the key for the key lock 108. This he can do only through an authorized person such as the room clerk at the front desk. Thus, the room clerk at the front desk can make note of the fact that the key has been taken and if a charge is to be imposed for the use of the safe, this can be added to the bill at that time. The user will then go to the safe which he will find, whether open or closed, with the key receiving slot in the A position and all of the coding wheels in the preselected position, i.e., -0-0-0-0. The user will open the door and insert the key in the lock 108 and rotate the lock until the key is in the intermediate or B position wherein the cam portion 104 engages the head 58 of the shaft 52 to move the shaft to the rignt as viewed in FIG. 3, whereby to free the coding wheels for rotation relative to the collars 60. The same movement of the key will, through the operation of the gear 100, cause the rack 112 to move to the left, whereby to retract the pin 116 from the registered apertures 118 to free the coding wheels for rotation. The user may then rotate the coding wheels 68 through the apertures 96 until a desired combination of numbers is in register with the apertures 96. These numbers will hereinafter be termed the combination. With the combination selected, the user will rotate the key from the B to the C position, whereby to move the cam portion 104 away from the head 58 of the shaft 52 to permit the shaft to be restored to its extended position in which the protrusions 66 engage the coding wheels 68 to lock the two against further relative rotation. The user may now place his valuables inside the safe 12 and may close the safe door. The closing of the safe door will cause the tapered end 126 of the bell crank actuator 128 to move upwardly to pivot the bell crank in a counterclockwise direction, whereby to bear against the abutment 131 on the finger 122 to move it downwardly against the spring 124. This will retract the finger 122 from the notch 120 to thereby free the bolts 26 for movement to an extended position. The-movement is effected by means of the rotation of the safe handle 42 from the vertical to the horizontal position. With the bolts 26 in their receiving apertures 24 to latch the door, coding wheels 68 should be turned to change the number being displayed through the apertures 96 from the combination to display some other number. This will cause the flats 64 of the cams 62 to move out of engagement with the members 90 to thereby pivot the cam plate into register with the pin 92 to prevent retraction of the bolts 26. Thus, the safe is locked and cannot be unlocked without the redisplay of the combination.

When the user wishes to give up use of the safe as, for example, when he is checking out, all he need do is rotate the coding wheels 68 to cause the combination to be displayed, whereby to bring the flats 64 of the cams 62 into engagement with the cam follower plate 84 to permit the cam plate to move to its vertical position out of register with the pin 92. This will permit the pin 92 to move to be moved to the left as viewed in FIG. 3, which movement is accomplished by rotation of the safe handle 42 from the horizontal to the vertical position, whereby to withdraw the bolts and permit the opening of the door 18. Upon this occurring, the finger 122 will be pressed into the notch 120 by the spring 124 to prevent the operation of the handle 42 back to the horizontal or latched position. The user will now rotate the key in the lock 108 from the extreme position C to the intermediate position B wherein the cam portion 104 engages the head 58 to shift the shaft 52 to withdraw the protrusions 66 from engagement with the coding wheels. Now the user will rotate the coding wheels to the 0-0-0-0-0 or preselected position and then he may rotate the key to the vertical or A position wherein the key may be withdrawn. Upon rotating the key from the B to the A position, the cam 104 will move out of engagement with the shaft head 58 to reengage the protrusions 66 with the coding wheels 68 and the pin 116 will move through the now registered apertures 118 to lock the coding wheels against rotation. The key may now be withdrawn from the lock to be returned to the front desk.

Generally speaking, it will be desirable in the use of this lock to provide some inducement for the user to return the key to the front desk. This inducement may take the form of a cash deposit for the key in advance. With the key returned to the desk and the lock in the position described, it is restored to the initial condition and ready for the next user who may place his own combination in the safe without fear of discovery from prior or subsequent users.

Notwithstanding all inducements to secure the return of the keys for operation of the key locks 108, it must be anticipated that a certain small proportion of users will, upon checking out, leave the safe with the key lock in the Q position and their own private combination inserted into the combination lock, whereby to effectively prevent normal access to the safe and future use thereof. Means are therefore provided for obtaining alternate access to the safe upon the occurrence of this event. These means include an elongated member that is secured to a mounting block 132 fixed to the front plate 30 of the door 18. The free end of the member 130 underlies a portion of the cam follower plate 84. Thus, if the member 130 can be moved rearwardly,

it will push the cam follower plate 84 rearwardly beyond the position shown in FIG. 10, in which it is in register with the pin 92 to a extreme rearward position to the left of the pin 92 as shown in FIG. 11, whereby to permit movement of the pin 92. This will permit the handle 42 to be operatedto the open position to unlatch the door 18 and gain access to the interior of the safe. In order to gain access to the finger 130, the front plate 30 of the door 18 is provided with a point of this cross'section, such as a hollowed out portion 134 on the inner surface thereof (FIG. 19). Thus, if one knowswhere the thin point is, he can easily drill through at that point in order to provide an aperture through which a pointed member can be inserted which will be in direct register with the elongated member 130 to push it rearwardly to open the lock. Since the member 130 is relatively long and the angle of mounting can be widely varied and the point of thinness 134 is small, even if one is familar with the general construction of a safe of this type, it will be extremely difficult to locate the single point of thinness along the member 130. However, the custodian of the safe, either the hotel management or a leasing company, or the like, can have a template that is disposable over the front of the safe which template will have finely drawn coordinates thereon and small holes at the intersections of such coordinates and the mechanic will be given the precise coordinates where the point of thinness is located on that particular safe. Clearly, each safe will have a different point of thinness. Thus, should the safe be left in a locked position by a user, notwithstanding inducements to prevent such from occurring, the hotel or the safe service company can bring in the template for locating the point of thinness 134, can drill a hole through the front of the safe at that point, which drilling will be relatively easy, and then can place a needlelike implement through the drilled hole to operate the member 130 as previously described. Thereafter, naturally, the door will have to be removed from the safe, the point of thinness concealed and the combination reset. However, spare doors can be maintained to replace those that have to be drilled in order to maintain the safe in use while the drilled door is being reworked.

If desired, an additional mechanism may be associated with the member 130 to provide additional safety against unauthorized entry through drilling. If such additional security is desired, a second mechanism may be incorporated, which mechanism includes a gear 136 rotatably mounted upon a stud 138 fixed to the front plate 30. Secured to the gear 136 and extending radially outwardly from the periphery thereof is a finger 140 which may be moved into and out of register with the cam follower plate 84. Normally, the gear 136 is rotated so that the finger 140 is in register with the cam follower plate 84 as shown in FIG. 3. With the finger in the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 10, it will prevent movement of the cam follower plate 84 leftward out of register with the pin 92 to the FIG. 11 position to unlock the lock upon the pushing of the member 130. Thus, in order to gain extraordinary access to the safe, it is not only necessary to find the point ofthinness 134 to operate member 130, but it becomes necessary to rotate the gear 136 to move the finger 140 out of register with the cam follower plate 84. This rotation is accomplished by means of the turning of an Allen wrench (not shown) which fits into a socket 142 in a gear 144 that is in meshed relation with the gear 136. Gear 144 is sandwiched between a support block 143, fixed to front plate 30, and back plate 44, and is held against lateral shift by an arcuate abutment 145 complementary to the outer circumference of the gear 144. Under lying the socket 142 is a second point of thinness 146 (see FIG. 1) in the front plate 30, which point of thinness can be readily located by the aforesaid template and knowledge of the particular coordinates for point 146 on the particular door 18 illustrated. As will be obvious from the inspection of FIG. 3, there are a large number of possible locations for the gear 144 and, together with variation in diameter of gears 144 and 136, there is a near infinite number of possible locations for the second point of thinness 146 in the front 30 of the door 18. Thus, additional security is obtained against extraordinary acts of unauthorized persons.

In the construction heretofore described, access to the coding wheels was obtainable only through the apertures 96 in the front plate 30. This requires a user, when first setting his combination and when finally terminating his usage of the key by restoring it to the preselected -0-0-0-0 position and removing the key, to shift back and forth between the front and the back of the door. This may prove somewhat inconvenient to the user. Means are described in FIGS. 12 through 14 for overcoming this possible difficulty should it arise. The means include coding wheels 68' which have two sets of indicia thereon that are 180 out of phase. Thus,

with the first set of digits and being laterally offset' therefrom and upside down with respect thereto. The apertures 96 in the front wall 30 are arranged to register with only one set of digits, that is the digits that appear right side up when viewing the coding wheels from the front. Provided in the back plate 44 is a second set of apertures that also register with the coding wheels, but only permit the display of the second set of digits therethrough. The apertures 150 are proportioned to permit the finger to move therethrough to gain access to the coding Wheels for rotating them in the same manner as would be done from the front. With this being the case, when any particular number is visible through the front apertures 96, the same numbers will be visible through the rear apertures 150, but reversed. That is the combination of numbers displayed on the front will be displayed on the back provided that when viewed from the back they are read right to left. To facilitate this, instructions may be included on the back panel 44. Thus, it will be unnecessary for the user to move back and forth between the front and back of the door when inserting and removing his combination from the lock.

If desired, means may also be incorporated for giving an audio or visual or audio-visual alarm to the user should he leave his safe with the combination being displayed. Such an event is apt to occur should the user remove all of the contents from the safe with an intention to return these contents to the safe at some later time. With the contents removed, the user may carelessly leave the lock with the combination being displayed, his feeling being that no harm can come of it. However, numerous persons have access to hotel rooms to perform various functions and should any of these see the lock with the combination displayed, he could readily record the combination and return at some future time when the contents are in the safe, rotate the coding wheels 68 to display the combination and then open the safe to remove the contents.

To avoid this, a switch 156 may be-mounted on the support frame for the combination lock so that the operating member 154 of the switch 156 will be in its operated position to cause the contacts in the switch 156 to be closed when the cam follower plate 84 is in its vertical or unlocked position. When the cam plate is pivoted to its locked position by the rotation of any of the cams 62 to move the respective flats 64 out of engagement with the cam follower plate 84, the operating member 154 will be moved to open the contacts of the switch 156. Such an arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 15. Thus, means for sensing whether the combination is being displayed or not are provided. A circuit can be provided to operate an alarm 168, either audio, visual or audio-visual, whenever the switch 156 is closed in order to alert the user to the fact that the combination is being displayed to thereby inform him that he should not leave the combination lock in that condition. While such a simple circuit would be effective, it would give rise to the alarm being on continuously when the lock is restored to display its preselected number, i.e., 0-0-0-0-0, which would be undesirable. Accordingly, in order to avoid this, a second switch 153 may be included for detecting the position of the key in the key lock slot 110 in order to deactivate the alarm circuit when the key lock is out of the C position, such as when it is in position to permit the change of combination, that is, in the B position or is in the key receiving position, that is, the A position. As shown in FIG. 3, a second switch 153 is mounted on any suitable support such as the grid for, the rack 112 and has its operating member 155 in the path of movement of the cam 104. When the cam is out of the C position, switch 153 is open. When the cam is in the C position, the cam engages the switch operating member 155 to close the switch.

A simple circuit for controlling the alarm is illustrated in FIG. 17, which circuit includes in series a battery 166, switch 153, switch 156 and the alarm 168. When the key lock is in the C position and the cam follower plate is in the unlocked position, the switches 153 and 156 are both closed, whereby to energize the alarm and inform the user that the combination is being displayed. Thus, the user will be warned against leaving his safe unlocked with combination displayed, for the reasons already presented.

Referring now to FIG. 18, a modified form of the safe 200 is shown in the form of a table. The table is made of a relatively impenetrable boxlike structure 202 that may be ornamentally covered, such as with wood veneer or the like. The front of the table is provided with a door frame 204 for hingedly mounting door 206 and to receive the door therein in closed position. A coding wheel combination lock 208 is disposed in a recess 210 in a top 212 of the table as is the lock handle 214, here shown in the form of a knob. The knob 214 and the combination lock 208 can be concealed by a movable closure here shown as a pivotal cover 216. Unlike the embodiments of FIGS. 1 through 15, the latch bolt 218 is slidably mounted within the door frame rather than within the door, and the door is provided with a recess or slot 220 to receive the bolt 218 when the door is closed. The key lock 224 for controlling the combination lock 208 is mounted on a panel 222 within the en closure of the table safe and functions precisely the same as the key lock 108 in the previously described embodiments. All of the parts of the FIG. 18 embodiment function in precisely the same fashion as do the parts of the embodiments of FIGS. 1 through 17, although minor structural modification may be required to accommodate to the different positioning of parts. If, for the sake of brevity, any such parts are omitted from this description, their manner of inclusion in the FIG. 18 embodiment and their manner of use will be obvious to anyone skilled in the art and who has read the previous description.

When the combination lock 208 has been operated to display the appropriate combination for which it is set, the know 214 is unlatched and free to be rotated to retract or extend the bolt 218. As shown herein, the knob 214 is mounted on a vertically extending shaft 226 which has a bevel gear 228 thereon. The bevel gear is in meshed relation with a companion bevel gear 230 carried by a horizontal shaft 232 that has another bevel gear 234 at its opposite end. Gear 234 is in meshed relation with a bevel gear 236 mounted on a vertical shaft 238 that has a pinion 240 at its lower end. The pinion 240 is in meshed relation with rack teeth 242 on the inner surface of the slide bolt 218. Accordingly, the rotation of the knob 214, when it is free to rotate, will be effective for extending and retracting the slide bolt 218 into slot 220 in the side of the door.

If desired, a second slide bolt may be provided opposite the slide bolt 218 to move into and out of a registrable recess in the edge of the door 206 opposite the edge which has the recess 220. In such an event, a gear train 244, which is the mirror image of the gear train heretobefore described, will connect the second bolt 218 to knob 214.

In the table safe embodiment of FIG. 18, there is no handle included for effecting the opening of the door 206 when it has been locked and unlatched. While a handle may be included on the front of the door 206 for grasping the door to open it, esthetic reasons may militate against this expediency. When it is desirable to omit a handle, then a compression spring 246 may be mounted inside the door frame for engagement with the door upon it being closed. The spring preferably is quite soft so that its bias can be readily overcome when the door is being closed. When the door is unlocked and unlatched, the spring will have sufficient strength to push the door ajar so that it may be readily grasped to complete the opening.

In the table safe embodiment of FIG. 18, it may be desirable to make the table extremely heavy as by pour? ing concrete into the bottom portion of 248 or other portions thereof. A self-contained battery powered alarm means may be included to detect the movement of the safe should this occur. Such an alarm system, well within the ability of the skilled art worker, will further deter the unauthorized removal of the entire safe. If desired, a test circuit for such alarm may also be included.

As previously pointed out in connection with the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 12 to 14, some inconvenience may be experienced by the users of the FIGS. 1 to 11 embodiment of the invention due to the requirement that during the setting of the combination or the return of the combination to the preselected number the user must alternate his attention be tween the front and rear panels of the door. An alternate embodiment of the invention to overcome thispotential disadvantage is shown in FIGS. 20 and 21.

Referring now to FIGS. 20 and 21, the safe is generally designated by the reference numeral 310 and includes a boxlike cabinet or structure 312 which may serve as a table or which may be embedded in a wall. The boxlike structure is preferably made of a relatively impenetrable material such as steel plates or the like. The front plate 314 is provided with a door opening 316 from which inwardly extends a door frame 318 into which a door 320 may be seated. The door 320 is preferably hinged to a side of the door frame 316 as by hinges 322 so that the door may be operated pivotally between the open position shown in FIG. 20 and the closed position in which the door is seated in the frame, as in FIG. 21.

The slide member 333 of the combination lock 324 is a single member rather than two oppositely operable members, although the cooperation of the slide member 333 with the remainder of the lock is essentially identical to the cooperation of the slide bolts 26 in the FIG. 1 to 11 embodiment. That is to say, the slide member 333 is an elongated horizontally extending member having a toothed portion 336 adjacent the upper end thereof for cooperation with a pinion 338 secured to the operating handle 328 for pivotal movement therewith. (Handle 328 is shown in phantom in FIG. 21). Thus, when the handle 328 is moved between its horizontal and substantially vertical positions, the slide member 333 will be horizontally between a left and a right position.

Secured to the slide member 333 in any suitable way is a pin 346 which cooperates with the cam plate 348 of the combination lock 324 in precisely the same fashion as the pin 92 cooperates with the came plate 84 in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-1 1. That is to say, when the coding wheels 330 are operated to cause them to display the selected combination, the cam plate 348 will be pivoted toward the front plate 314 of the cabinet 312 as by spring 350 to move out of register with the pin 346 and thereby permit that pin, and hence the slide member 333 to which it is connected, to move rightwardly as viewed in FIG. 21. However, if other than the selected combination is displayed, the cams associated with the coding wheels in the lock 324 will hold the cam plate 348 in alignment with pin 346, against the bias of spring 350, to block rightward movement of the pin 346 and hence of the slide member 333. The remainder of the combination lock 324 is essentially identical to the combination lock 32 in the FIGS. 1-11 embodiment and further description is deemed unnecessary.

Similarly, the mechanism associated with the key lock 326' is essentially identical to that associated with the key lock 108 in FIGS. 1-11 embodiment, excepting that the key lock, rather than being mounted on the rear of the door, is mounted on a panel 327 within the safe compartment in a manner similar to the FIG. 18 embodiment. The gearing, however, which drivingly connects the key lock 326 to the gear 100 to control the reaction and extension of pin 116 and the operation of shaft 52 that activates the clutching mechanism for the lock 324 is modified by virtue of the fact that the lock 326 is now located beneath the combination lock 324 and quite remote therefrom. Thus, the operating member of the key lock 326 operates the gear 106 in the same manner as the key lock 110 performed that function. However, interposed between gear 106 and gear 100 is an intermediate gear 329 that is in meshed relation with both gears 106 and 100 and drivingly connects the latter to the former. This provides an additional movement between the gear 100 and 106 which is necessary because of the new location of the key lock. Apart from that, the manner and mode of operation of the key lock 326 and its cooperation with the remainder of the mechanism is identical to the FIGS. 1 to 11 embodiment.

A major difference between the mechanisms of the FIGS. 20-21 embodiment and the FIGS. 1 to 11 embodiment is that the slide bolt 334 which moves into recesses within the door 320 is not an integral part of the slide member 333. Instead, the slide bolt 334 operates concomitantly with the slide member 333 for movement between a first or lowered position shown in solid lines in FIG. 21, which is locked position, and a second or raised position shown in dash lines in FIG. 21, which is a retracted or unlocked position. Movement of slide bolt 334 is effected by cooperation between the upper toothed end 335 of the slide bolt and the pinion 337 which is in meshed relation with the pinion 338 that is driven by the handle 328. Assuming the lock 324 is displaying the set combination and is thus unlocked, when the handle 328 is moved from its horizontal to its vertical position, it will rotate pinion 338 clockwise, whereby to move slide member 333 to the right, which movement will not be obstructed by the engagement of pin 346 with cam plate 348. Concomitantly, pinion 337 will rotate in a counterclockwise direction and thereby move slide bolt 334 upwardly. However, if lock 324 is not displaying the selected combination and is thus locked by the interengagement of pin 346 with cam plate 348, the downward movement of handle 328 and, hence, the upward movement or retraction of slide bolt 334 will be prevented.

It should be noted that slide bolt 334 is provided at its lower end with a U-shaped structure 340 terminating in a pair of vertically extending pins 342 which are movable vertically into the upper horizontal portion of the door through apertures 344 therein, thus latching the door 320. When the handle 328 is in its vertical position to have thereby raised or retacted the slide bolt 324, the pins 342 are raised so as to clear the door 320 and permit it to be opened. When, however, the handle 328 is in its horizontal position, then the slide bolt 324 is extended and pins 342 are in apertures 344 to lock door 320.

As previously mentioned, the pins 342 are driven by the slide bolt 334 and move into and out of engagement with the door 320 for latching the door in its closed position. In accordance with another feature, the latching of the door may be both at top and bottom to more securely hold the door. This is accomplished, as may best be seen in FIG. 21, by providing the door from its upper edge to its lower edge with a pair of channels 356 in which are disposed and fixed by any suitable means sleeves 358 that also extend from top to bottom of the door to serve as liners for the channels. Disposed within each of the sleeves 358 are a pair of tubes 360 and 362 which are spaced apart at their confronting edges 364 and 366, respectively. The tubes 360 and 362 may be secured in any suitable fashion to the sleeves 358 in the described position. Extending through the central passages 368 defined by the spaced apart tubes 360 and 362 are vertically slidable locking plungers 370 which are about equal to or slightly less than the vertical extent of the door 320. Fixed to each of the plungers 370 in the zone of the spacing between the spacer tubes 360 and 362 is a flange or collar 372, and disposed about each plunger between the flange or collar 372 and the upper edge 366 of the lower tube 362 is a compression spring 374 which biases its assoicated plunger 370 upwardly until the flange 372 engages the edge 364 of the upper tube 360. The parts are located so that in that position the upper and lower edges of the plungers are substantially flush with or slightly recessed from the upper and lower edges of the door 320.

With the door 320 closed, if the handle 328 is operated from its vertical to its horizontal position to move the slide bolt 334 downwardly, the pins 342 connected to the slide bolt will move downwardly into the passages 368 in tubes 360 to latch the door 320 at the top. The movement of the pins 342 into the passages 368 will drive the plungers 370 downwardly against the upward bias of the compression springs 374 to move the bottoms of the plungers 370 into complementary cavities 376 in the lower portion of the door frame 318. Thus, the door will be latched at both the top and the bottom to prevent removal thereof even if the hinges are broken away.

The particular construction for mounting the plungers 370 within the door 320 is preferred as it simplifies the assembling of this portion of the door. However, it will be obvious that other forms of construction could be employed without departing from the invention. The advantage of the preferred structure shown in that the plunger, spacer tubes and sleeves can be assembled outside of the door 320 and then disposed within the channels 356 as a unit, and then secured therein in a suitable fashion.

As was true in the FIGS. 1 to 11 embodiment, means are provided in the FIGS. 20-21 embodiment for preventing the operation of the slide member 333 (and hence the slide bolt 334) when the door 320 is opened. The means are structurally identical to the means shown in FIG. 3 save for the fact that the means are now located within the stationary portion of the lock and not within the door as illustrated in FIG. 3. However, it is the door in its closed position which engages the tapered portion 126 of the bell crank 128 to pivot the bell crank in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 21 to retract the member 122 from the aperture 120 in the slide member 333 to unlock the slide member upon closing of the door. When the door is opened, the upper end of the member 122 will be biased into the notch 120 of slide member 333 by virtue of the action of spring 124 to lock the slide member in its right hand position and thus prevent operation of the handle with the door open.

The user of the FIGS. 20-21 embodiment will go through the exact operations for setting his combination and for subsequently restoring the lock to the preselected number as he would with respect to the FIGS. 1 to 111 embodiment. However, by mounting the combination lock 324, the key lock 326 and the operating handle 328 so that they may be viewed from the front of cabinet 312 rather than on the front and back of door 320, it will be unnecessary for the user to alternate his attention between the front and back of the door. All he will have to do with the embodiment of FIGS. 20-21 is view the front of the cabinet 312. Another advantage to the construction of FIGS. 20-21 is that the same structure may be employed for both wall safes and tables safes whereby to simplify manufacture of these two separate models.

It will be obvious that a knob 404 or some other means for gripping the door 320 is preferably secured to the front of the door so that when it is unlatched, it may be gripped to swing it open. In lieu of this arrangement, :1 spring arrangement such as shown in FIG. 18 may be employed to open the door.

It will also be obvious that means for obtaining extraordinary access to the safe may be included in the FIGS. 20-21 embodiment which is similar to the means included in the FIGS. 1 to 11 embodiment. These means are illustrated in FIG. 21 and are of generally the same construction and operate the same as the corresponding means 130-145 in the FIGS. 1 to 11 embodiment. The means are generally designated in FIG. 21 by the reference character 406.

While we have herein shown and described the preferred form of the invention and various modifications thereof, other changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a closeable door; a door frame for receiving said door; movable latch means including complementary parts on said door and door frames for latching said door in the position in which it is received by said door frame; and means for locking said latching means in latching position comprising said door; a combination lock of the type having a plurality of side-byside coding wheels, a rotatable cam associated with each coding wheel, means for releasably engaging each of said coding wheels with its associated cam for concomitant rotation, cam follower means operatively engageable with said latching means for preventing movement thereof out of its latching position, said cam follower means being movable by each of said cams to and from said latch movement preventing position and from and to a second position out of operative engagement with said latching means, whereby all of said cams must be in predetermined positions to move said cam follower means out of said latch movement preventing position; the improvement comprising:

a key lock including a key receiving member movable between a key receiving position, a second position and a position intermediate said other two positions;

means for actuating said means for releasably engaging said cams with said coding wheels to release said cams from said coding wheels when said key receiving means is in said intermediate position, said last mentioned actuating means being ineffective when said key receiving member is in said key receiving position and in said second position; and

means for preventing said key receiving member from being moved to said key receiving position unless said coding wheels are each in a preselected position.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said key lock further comprises means for preventing the removal of a key from said key receiving member unless said key receiving member is in said key receiving position. v

3. The combination as defined inclaim 2, wherein said key receiving member is rotatably movable, and said means for actuating said means for releasably engaging said cams with said coding wheels comprises a reciprocably shiftable clutchmeans, a rotatable cam and means for rotating said cam in response to rotation of said key receiving member for moving said clutch means to disengage said wheel from said cam when said key receiving member is in said intermediate position.

4. Thecombination as defined in claim 2, wherein said means for preventing said key receiving member from being moved to said key receiving position comprises an elongated member, means for moving said elongated member longitudinally in response to rotation of said key receiving member, each of said coding wheels having an aperture therein proportioned to receive said elongated member and that is registrable with said elongated member when the coding wheel is in its preselected position, said means for moving said elongated member being arranged to move said elongated member through said registered apertures in said wheels upon said key receiving member being moved into said key receiving position, whereby if all said wheels are not in their preselected position said elongated member will be prevented from moving to thereby prevent said key receiving member from being moved into its key receiving position.

5. The combination as defined in claim 4, wherein said key receiving member is rotatable movable, and wherein said means for moving said elongated member comprises a gear drivingly connected to said key receiving member and a rack in meshed relation with said gear and drivingly connected to said elongated member, and wherein said means for actuating said means for releasably engaging said cams with said coding wheels comprises a reciprocably shiftable clutch means, a cam surface portion on said gear movable into engagement with said clutch means when said key receiving means is moved to said intermediate position to shift said clutch means to disengage said coding wheels from said cams.

6. The combination as defined in claim 2, further comprising door position responsive means for preventing the movement of said latching means to said latching position when said door is out of receiving relation with said door frame.

7. The combination as defined in claim 5, further comprising door position responsive means for preventing the movement of said latching means to said latching position when said door is out of receiving relation with said door frame.

8. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said combination lock is mounted on a panel of preselected thickness and made of relatively impenatrable material, and further includes manually movable means for moving said cam follower means out of operative engagement with said latching means, said panel having a point of diminished thickness in register with said manually movable means, whereby to facilitate access to said manually movable means.

9. The combination as defined in claim 8, wherein said cam follower is movable to a third position out of latch movement preventing position, and said manualy operable means is an elongated member mounted on said panel and engagable with said cam follower, said manually operable elongated member being movable toward and away from said cam follower third position to move said cam follower into said third position.

10. The combination as defined in claim 9, further comprising a second manually movable means movable between a position for blocking movement of said cam follower to said third position, and a second position out of blocking relationship with said cam follower, said panel having a second point of diminished thickness in register with said second manually movable means, whereby to facilitate access to said second manually movable means.

11. The combination as defined in claim 10, wherein said second manually movable means comprises a first gear having a blocking member extending radially outward therefrom, and a second gear in meshed relation with said first gear and operatively mounted on said panel with the axis of said second gear in register with said second point of diminished thickness, said second gear having a non-circular axial cavity in register with said second point of diminished thickness, whereby when an aperture is drilled through said second point, a tool complementary to said non-circular axial cavity can be inserted therein to rotate said gears and move said blocking member out of blocking relation with said cam follower.

12. The combination as defined in claim 7, wherein said combination lock is mounted on a panel of preselected thickness and made of relatively impenatrable material, and further includes manually movable means for moving said cam follower means out of operative engagement with said latching means, said panel having a point of diminished thickness in register with said manually movable means, whereby to facilitate access to said manually movable means, and wherein said cam follower is movable to a third position out of latch movement preventing position, and said manually 0perable means is an elongated member mounted on said panel and engageable with said cam follower, said manually elongated member being movable toward and away from said cam follower third position to move said cam follower into said third position, and further comprising a second manually movable means movable between a first position for blocking movement of said cam follower to said third position, and a second position out of blocking relationship with said cam follower, said panel having a second point of diminished thickness in register with said second manually movable means, whereby to facilitate access to said second manually movable means, and wherein said second manually movable means comprises a first gear having a blocking member extending radially outward therefrom, and a second gear in meshed relation with said first gear and operatively mounted on said panel with the axis of said second gear in register with said second point of diminished thickness, said second gear having a non-circular axial cavity in register with said second point of diminished thickness, whereby when an aperture is drilled through said second point, a tool complementary to said non-circular axial cavity can be inserted therein to rotate said gears and move said blocking member out of blocking relation with said cam follower.

13. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said combination lock is mounted within a door having front and rear panels, each of said coding wheels having a first set of indicia and a laterally offset second set of indicia identical to the first, but shifted l with respect to said first and being upside down with respect thereto, said front panel having a plurality of apertures, one for each coding wheel, in register with said coding wheel for providing manua'l access to said coding wheel and for permitting the reading of said first set of indicia, said rear panel having a plurality of apertures, one for each coding wheel, for providing manual access to said coding wheel and for permitting the reading of said second set of indicia, and wherein said key lock is mounted on said rear panel.

14. The combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said apertures on said front panel are proportioned and positioned to permit the reading of only said first sets of indicia and the apertures on said rear panel are proportioned and positioned to permit the reading of only said second sets of indicia.

15. The combination as defined in claim 1, comprising a first switch means for detecting the position of said cam follower means and being closed when said cam follower means is out of operative engagement with said latching means; a second switch means for detecting the position of said key receiving member and being closed when said key receiving member is in said second position; alarm means; and a circuit for energizing said alarm means including in series said first and second switches.

16. The combination as defined in claim 1, further comprising switch means, one for each cam, for sensing the position of said cams and being closed when said cams are in a position to permit said cam follower to move away from its latch movement preventing position, and a switch operatively associated with said latch and closed when said latch is out of latching position, a relay, a circuit for energizing said relay including in series all of said switch means and said switch, a holding circuit for relay including in series only all of said switch means, an alarm, an energizing circuit for said alarm including a front contact of said relay.

17. In combination with an enclosure having a door opening defined by a door frame, a closeable door movably mounted on said door frame for movement to and from a closing position overlying said door opening; movable latch means including complementary parts on said door and door frames for latching said door in the position in which it is in overlying relation with said door opening; and means for locking said latching means in latching position comprising said door; a combination lock of the type having a plurality of side-by-side coding wheels, a rotatable cam associated with each coding wheel, means for releasably engaging each of said coding wheels with its associated cam for concomitant rotation, cam follower means operatively engageable with said latching means for preventing movement thereof out of its latching position, said cam follower means being movable by each of said cams to and from said latch movement preventing position and from and to a second position out of operative engagement with said latching means, whereby all of said cams must be in predetermined positions to move said cam follower means out of said latch movement preventing position; the improvement comprising:

a key lock including a key receiving member movable between a key receiving position, a second po sition and a position intermediate said other two positions; and

means for actuating said means for releasably engaging said cams with said coding wheels to release said cams from said coding wheels when said key receiving means is in said intermediate position, said last mentioned actuating means being ineffective when said key receiving member is in said key receiving position and in said second position.

18. The combination as defined in claim 17, wherein said key lock is disposed within said enclosure when said door is in overlying relation with said door opening.

19. The combination as defined in claim 18, wherein said key lock further comprises means for preventing the removal of a key from said key receiving member unless said key receiving member is in said key receiving position.

20. The combination as defined in claim 19, further comprising door position responsive means for preventing the movement of said latching means to said latching position when said door is out of overlying relation with said door opening.

21. The combination as defined in claim 19, wherein said combination lock is mounted on a panel of preselected thickness and made of relatively impenatrable material, and further includes manually movable means for moving said cam follower means out of operative engagement with said latching means, said panel having a point of diminished thickness in register with said manually movable means, whereby to facilitate access to said manually movable means.

22. The combination as defined in claim 21, wherein said cam follower is movable to a third position out of latch movement preventing position, and said manually operable means is an elongated member mounted on said panel and engagable with said cam follower, said manually operable elongated member being movable toward and away from said cam follower third position to move said cam follower into said third position.

23. The combination as defined in claim 22, further comprising a second manually movable means movable between a position for blocking movement of said cam follower to said third position, and a second position out of blocking relationship with said cam follower, said panel having a second point of diminished thickness in register with said second manually movable means, whereby to facilitate access to said second manually movable means.

24. The combination as defined in claim 17, wherein said combination lock, said key lock and said movable latch means are all mounted on said enclosure, said latching means comprises a slide bolt having a portion movable into and out of said door opening, said door has a cavity registrable with said slide bolt when said door is in said closed position, whereby when said door is closed and said slide bolt is extended said door is latched.

25. The combination as defined in claim 24, wherein said door cavity is a passage extending across said door, said door frame has a cavity on the surface opposite said latching portion, and further comprising a plunger extending across said door and reciprocably movably mounted within said door passage, means for biasing said plunger to a retracted position within said door, whereby when said door is closed and said latch portion is moved into said door cavity, said plunger will be moved into said cavity in the opposite surface of said door frame to latch said door at opposite sides thereof.

26. The combination as defined in claim 25, wherein said portion of said slide bolt that is movable into and out of said door opening comprises a pair of spaced apart pins, said door has two spaced apart passages extending thereacross and being registrable with said two pins when said door is closed, the surface of said door frame opposite said latching portion has a pair of spaced apart cavities registrable with said pair of door passages when said door is in said closed position, and there are two plungers reciprocably movably mounted in said two door passages, and two means for biasing said plunger to said retracted position.

27. The combination as defined in claim 26, wherein said door passages are each defined by an elongated sleeve extending across said door, and a pair of vertically spaced tubes disposed within and fixed to said sleeve.

28. The combination as defined in claim 17, further comprising manually operable means for moving said latch means when said cam follower means is out of said latch movement prevent position, and wherein said manually operable means and said combination lock are mounted on the outside of said enclosure, and said key lock is mounted within said enclosure.

29. The combination as defined in claim 28, wherein said manually operable means, said combination lock and said key lock are all accessible from the same position when the door is open.

30. The combination as defined in claim 29, wherein said movable latch means comprises a member movably supported by said enclosure and movable into a complementary recess in said door for latching said door, said recess being a portion of a passage extending across said door, said door frame having a cavity in register with said passage, and further comprising a plunger of a length substantially equal to the length of said passage mounted in said passage for axial movement, means for biasing said plunger to a normal position entirely within said passage, whereby when said door is closed and said latch member is moved into said complementary recess, said latch member will engage said plunger and force it partially out of said passage into said cavity to thereby latch said door at two locations.

31. The combination as defined in claim 30, wherein said door passage is defined by a pair of spaced apart tubes and said biasing means is a spring operatively engaging said plunger and one of said tubes.

32. The combination as defined in claim 1, further comprising manually operable means for moving said latch means when said cam follower means is out of said latch movement prevent position, and wherein said manually operable means and said combination lock are mounted on the outside of said enclosure, said key lock is mounted within said enclosure, and wherein said manually operable means, said combination lock and said key lock are all accessible from the same position when the door is open 33. The combination as defined in claim 32, wherein said movable latch means comprises a member movably supported by said enclosure and movable into a complementary recess in said door for latching said door, said recess being a portion of a passage extending across said door, said door frame having a cavity in register with said passage, and further comprising a plunger of a length substantially equal to the length of said plunger mounted in said passage for axial movement, means for biasing said plunger to a normal position entirely within said passage, whereby when said door is closed and said latch member is moved into said complementary recess, said latch member will engage said plunger and force it partially out of said passage into said cavity to thereby latch said door at two locations. 

1. In combination with a closeable door; a door frame for receiving said door; movable latch means including complementary parts on said door and door frames for latching said door in the position in which it is received by said door frame; and means for locking said latching means in latching position comprising said door; a combination lock of the type having a plurality of side-by-side coding wheels, a rotatable cam associated with each coding wheel, means for releasably engaging each of said coding wheels with its associated cam for concomitant rotation, cam follower means operatively engageable with said latching means for preventing movement thereof out of its latching position, said cam follower means being movable by each of said cams to and from said latch movement preventing position and from and to a second position out of operative engagement with said latching means, whereby all of said cams must be in predetermined positions to move said cam follower means out of said latch movement preventing position; the improvement comprising: a key lock including a key receiving member movable between a key receiving position, a second position and a position intermediate said other two positions; means for actuating said means for releasably engaging said cams with said coding wheels to release said cams from said coding wheels when said key receiving means is in said intermediate position, said last mentioned actuating means being ineffective when said key receiving member is in said key receiving position and in said second position; and means for preventing said key receiving member from being moved to said key receiving position unless said coding wheels are each in a preselected position.
 2. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said key lock further comprises means for preventing the removal of a key from said key receiving member unless said key receiving member is in said key receiving position.
 3. The combination as defined in claim 2, wherein said key receiving member is rotatably movable, and said means for actuating said means for releasably engaging said cams with said coding wheels comprises a reciprocably shiftable clutch means, a rotatable cam and means for rotating said cam in response to rotation of said key receiving member for moving said clutch means to disengage said wheel from said cam when said key receiving member is in said intermediate position.
 4. The combination as defined in claim 2, wherein said means for preventing said key receiving member from being moved to said key receiving position comprises an elongated member, means for moving said elongated member longitudinally in response to rotation of said key receiving member, each of said coding wheels having an aperture therein proportioned to receive said elongated member and that is registrable with said elongated member when the coding wheel is in its preselected position, said means for moving said elongated member being arranged to move said elongated member through said registered apertures in said wheels upon said key receiving member being moved into said key receiving position, whereby if all said wheels are not in their preselected position said elongated member will be prevented from moving to thereby prevent said key receiving member from being moved into its key receiving position.
 5. The combinatiOn as defined in claim 4, wherein said key receiving member is rotatable movable, and wherein said means for moving said elongated member comprises a gear drivingly connected to said key receiving member and a rack in meshed relation with said gear and drivingly connected to said elongated member, and wherein said means for actuating said means for releasably engaging said cams with said coding wheels comprises a reciprocably shiftable clutch means, a cam surface portion on said gear movable into engagement with said clutch means when said key receiving means is moved to said intermediate position to shift said clutch means to disengage said coding wheels from said cams.
 6. The combination as defined in claim 2, further comprising door position responsive means for preventing the movement of said latching means to said latching position when said door is out of receiving relation with said door frame.
 7. The combination as defined in claim 5, further comprising door position responsive means for preventing the movement of said latching means to said latching position when said door is out of receiving relation with said door frame.
 8. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said combination lock is mounted on a panel of preselected thickness and made of relatively impenatrable material, and further includes manually movable means for moving said cam follower means out of operative engagement with said latching means, said panel having a point of diminished thickness in register with said manually movable means, whereby to facilitate access to said manually movable means.
 9. The combination as defined in claim 8, wherein said cam follower is movable to a third position out of latch movement preventing position, and said manualy operable means is an elongated member mounted on said panel and engagable with said cam follower, said manually operable elongated member being movable toward and away from said cam follower third position to move said cam follower into said third position.
 10. The combination as defined in claim 9, further comprising a second manually movable means movable between a position for blocking movement of said cam follower to said third position, and a second position out of blocking relationship with said cam follower, said panel having a second point of diminished thickness in register with said second manually movable means, whereby to facilitate access to said second manually movable means.
 11. The combination as defined in claim 10, wherein said second manually movable means comprises a first gear having a blocking member extending radially outward therefrom, and a second gear in meshed relation with said first gear and operatively mounted on said panel with the axis of said second gear in register with said second point of diminished thickness, said second gear having a non-circular axial cavity in register with said second point of diminished thickness, whereby when an aperture is drilled through said second point, a tool complementary to said non-circular axial cavity can be inserted therein to rotate said gears and move said blocking member out of blocking relation with said cam follower.
 12. The combination as defined in claim 7, wherein said combination lock is mounted on a panel of preselected thickness and made of relatively impenatrable material, and further includes manually movable means for moving said cam follower means out of operative engagement with said latching means, said panel having a point of diminished thickness in register with said manually movable means, whereby to facilitate access to said manually movable means, and wherein said cam follower is movable to a third position out of latch movement preventing position, and said manually operable means is an elongated member mounted on said panel and engageable with said cam follower, said manually elongated member being movable toward and away from said cam follower third position to move said cam follower into said third position, and further comprisiNg a second manually movable means movable between a first position for blocking movement of said cam follower to said third position, and a second position out of blocking relationship with said cam follower, said panel having a second point of diminished thickness in register with said second manually movable means, whereby to facilitate access to said second manually movable means, and wherein said second manually movable means comprises a first gear having a blocking member extending radially outward therefrom, and a second gear in meshed relation with said first gear and operatively mounted on said panel with the axis of said second gear in register with said second point of diminished thickness, said second gear having a non-circular axial cavity in register with said second point of diminished thickness, whereby when an aperture is drilled through said second point, a tool complementary to said non-circular axial cavity can be inserted therein to rotate said gears and move said blocking member out of blocking relation with said cam follower.
 13. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said combination lock is mounted within a door having front and rear panels, each of said coding wheels having a first set of indicia and a laterally offset second set of indicia identical to the first, but shifted 180* with respect to said first and being upside down with respect thereto, said front panel having a plurality of apertures, one for each coding wheel, in register with said coding wheel for providing manual access to said coding wheel and for permitting the reading of said first set of indicia, said rear panel having a plurality of apertures, one for each coding wheel, for providing manual access to said coding wheel and for permitting the reading of said second set of indicia, and wherein said key lock is mounted on said rear panel.
 14. The combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said apertures on said front panel are proportioned and positioned to permit the reading of only said first sets of indicia and the apertures on said rear panel are proportioned and positioned to permit the reading of only said second sets of indicia.
 15. The combination as defined in claim 1, comprising a first switch means for detecting the position of said cam follower means and being closed when said cam follower means is out of operative engagement with said latching means; a second switch means for detecting the position of said key receiving member and being closed when said key receiving member is in said second position; alarm means; and a circuit for energizing said alarm means including in series said first and second switches.
 16. The combination as defined in claim 1, further comprising switch means, one for each cam, for sensing the position of said cams and being closed when said cams are in a position to permit said cam follower to move away from its latch movement preventing position, and a switch operatively associated with said latch and closed when said latch is out of latching position, a relay, a circuit for energizing said relay including in series all of said switch means and said switch, a holding circuit for relay including in series only all of said switch means, an alarm, an energizing circuit for said alarm including a front contact of said relay.
 17. In combination with an enclosure having a door opening defined by a door frame, a closeable door movably mounted on said door frame for movement to and from a closing position overlying said door opening; movable latch means including complementary parts on said door and door frames for latching said door in the position in which it is in overlying relation with said door opening; and means for locking said latching means in latching position comprising said door; a combination lock of the type having a plurality of side-by-side coding wheels, a rotatable cam associated with each coding wheel, means for releasably engaging each of said coding wheels with its associated cam for concomitaNt rotation, cam follower means operatively engageable with said latching means for preventing movement thereof out of its latching position, said cam follower means being movable by each of said cams to and from said latch movement preventing position and from and to a second position out of operative engagement with said latching means, whereby all of said cams must be in predetermined positions to move said cam follower means out of said latch movement preventing position; the improvement comprising: a key lock including a key receiving member movable between a key receiving position, a second position and a position intermediate said other two positions; and means for actuating said means for releasably engaging said cams with said coding wheels to release said cams from said coding wheels when said key receiving means is in said intermediate position, said last mentioned actuating means being ineffective when said key receiving member is in said key receiving position and in said second position.
 18. The combination as defined in claim 17, wherein said key lock is disposed within said enclosure when said door is in overlying relation with said door opening.
 19. The combination as defined in claim 18, wherein said key lock further comprises means for preventing the removal of a key from said key receiving member unless said key receiving member is in said key receiving position.
 20. The combination as defined in claim 19, further comprising door position responsive means for preventing the movement of said latching means to said latching position when said door is out of overlying relation with said door opening.
 21. The combination as defined in claim 19, wherein said combination lock is mounted on a panel of preselected thickness and made of relatively impenatrable material, and further includes manually movable means for moving said cam follower means out of operative engagement with said latching means, said panel having a point of diminished thickness in register with said manually movable means, whereby to facilitate access to said manually movable means.
 22. The combination as defined in claim 21, wherein said cam follower is movable to a third position out of latch movement preventing position, and said manually operable means is an elongated member mounted on said panel and engagable with said cam follower, said manually operable elongated member being movable toward and away from said cam follower third position to move said cam follower into said third position.
 23. The combination as defined in claim 22, further comprising a second manually movable means movable between a position for blocking movement of said cam follower to said third position, and a second position out of blocking relationship with said cam follower, said panel having a second point of diminished thickness in register with said second manually movable means, whereby to facilitate access to said second manually movable means.
 24. The combination as defined in claim 17, wherein said combination lock, said key lock and said movable latch means are all mounted on said enclosure, said latching means comprises a slide bolt having a portion movable into and out of said door opening, said door has a cavity registrable with said slide bolt when said door is in said closed position, whereby when said door is closed and said slide bolt is extended said door is latched.
 25. The combination as defined in claim 24, wherein said door cavity is a passage extending across said door, said door frame has a cavity on the surface opposite said latching portion, and further comprising a plunger extending across said door and reciprocably movably mounted within said door passage, means for biasing said plunger to a retracted position within said door, whereby when said door is closed and said latch portion is moved into said door cavity, said plunger will be moved into said cavity in the opposite surface of said door frame to latch said door at opposite sides thereof.
 26. The combinAtion as defined in claim 25, wherein said portion of said slide bolt that is movable into and out of said door opening comprises a pair of spaced apart pins, said door has two spaced apart passages extending thereacross and being registrable with said two pins when said door is closed, the surface of said door frame opposite said latching portion has a pair of spaced apart cavities registrable with said pair of door passages when said door is in said closed position, and there are two plungers reciprocably movably mounted in said two door passages, and two means for biasing said plunger to said retracted position.
 27. The combination as defined in claim 26, wherein said door passages are each defined by an elongated sleeve extending across said door, and a pair of vertically spaced tubes disposed within and fixed to said sleeve.
 28. The combination as defined in claim 17, further comprising manually operable means for moving said latch means when said cam follower means is out of said latch movement prevent position, and wherein said manually operable means and said combination lock are mounted on the outside of said enclosure, and said key lock is mounted within said enclosure.
 29. The combination as defined in claim 28, wherein said manually operable means, said combination lock and said key lock are all accessible from the same position when the door is open.
 30. The combination as defined in claim 29, wherein said movable latch means comprises a member movably supported by said enclosure and movable into a complementary recess in said door for latching said door, said recess being a portion of a passage extending across said door, said door frame having a cavity in register with said passage, and further comprising a plunger of a length substantially equal to the length of said passage mounted in said passage for axial movement, means for biasing said plunger to a normal position entirely within said passage, whereby when said door is closed and said latch member is moved into said complementary recess, said latch member will engage said plunger and force it partially out of said passage into said cavity to thereby latch said door at two locations.
 31. The combination as defined in claim 30, wherein said door passage is defined by a pair of spaced apart tubes and said biasing means is a spring operatively engaging said plunger and one of said tubes.
 32. The combination as defined in claim 1, further comprising manually operable means for moving said latch means when said cam follower means is out of said latch movement prevent position, and wherein said manually operable means and said combination lock are mounted on the outside of said enclosure, said key lock is mounted within said enclosure, and wherein said manually operable means, said combination lock and said key lock are all accessible from the same position when the door is open.
 33. The combination as defined in claim 32, wherein said movable latch means comprises a member movably supported by said enclosure and movable into a complementary recess in said door for latching said door, said recess being a portion of a passage extending across said door, said door frame having a cavity in register with said passage, and further comprising a plunger of a length substantially equal to the length of said plunger mounted in said passage for axial movement, means for biasing said plunger to a normal position entirely within said passage, whereby when said door is closed and said latch member is moved into said complementary recess, said latch member will engage said plunger and force it partially out of said passage into said cavity to thereby latch said door at two locations. 